Biden: Reid Should Not Apologize For Pace Remarks
Biden: Reid Should Not Apologize For Pace Remarks
In a conference call with bloggers last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) criticized outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace for his “incompetent” management of the Iraq war and was subsequently attacked by members of Congress as well as the White House for his remarks.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) released a statement charging that Reid’s remarks were “incredibly disappointing” and “highly inappropriate.” White House spokesperson Tony Snow called Reid’s remarks “outrageous” and stated, “I certainly hope he does apologize.”
Today on ABC’s This Week, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden (D-DE) said that Reid owes no apology to Pace. Biden asserted that Reid’s remarks were directed at Pace’s involvement in President Bush’s “abject failure” of policy in Iraq:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Did Senator Reid slander the generals, and does he owe them an apology?
BIDEN: No and no. The fact of the matter is, this policy, the president’s policy, is an abject failure. It continues to be a failure. There continues to be denial about the progress that is not being made.
Watch it:
Indeed, Pace has made several high-profile missteps during his service as Joint Chiefs Chairman. Pace previously refused to refer to Iraq as a civil war, contradicting the assessments of the Pentagon and intelligence community, and has heaped praise on former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Pace also controversially justified the military’s ban on openly gay servicemembers by claiming that “homosexual acts between individuals are immoral.”
A spokesperson for Reid has dismissed Snow’s calls for an apology: “This is coming from the same guy that said yesterday that increased violence in Iraq was a sign of success. Americans are looking for candor about the situation in Iraq.”
Transcript:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Reid this week said that General Pace, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is incompetent, and General Petraeus, the commanding general in Iraq, appears out of touch and not giving the straight story in Iraq.
That provoked a reaction from the White House. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow suggesting Senator Reid needs to apologize, and also said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: In a time of war, for a leader of a party that says it supports the military, it seems outrageous to be issuing slanders toward the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and also the man who is responsible for the bulk of military operations in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHANOPOULOS: Did Senator Reid slander the generals, and does he owe them an apology?
BIDEN: No and no. The fact of the matter is, this policy, the president’s policy, is an abject failure. It continues to be a failure. There continues to be denial about the progress that is not being made. And maybe it could have been more artfully stated.
I’ve made mistakes myself in how I’ve phrased things, but the bottom line is, this is a failure, this policy, and I think it might have been better to direct it at the president’s policy, but nonetheless, the truth is the truth. This is a failure, this policy.
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President Lincoln is considered a great leader in part
June 17th, 2007 at 12:02 pmbecause he disrespected under-performing generals.
Mr. Biden:
You know full well that this policy is a complete success.
You know for a fact that the actual goal from the outset was OCCUPATION FOREVER and PERMANENT BASES.
You know that this was always designed to create a QUAGMIRE BY DESIGN by using false flag attacks and creating a CIVIL WAR.
You know that we are the ones using agents within Iraq to blow up mosques and incite violence in order to ensure that this occupation lasts forever.
Stop acting like you don’t know the ENTIRE truth.
You are either with US or against US, and these half-truths seem to answer the question.
Do you work for David Rockefeller too?
June 17th, 2007 at 12:08 pmReid was “accurate as hell” and he should chew out the general. Further, he should get hugs from community for completing such ( here is mine) Reid is telling the people that he isn’t falling for BUsh tricks.
The general is a bush mouth piece. Just like other red meat in the senate. Further, and that red meat shall be taken out next cycle.
Study the history and you will see generals are all the same. Mouth pieces for dirty Bush.
Fib ratios never lie on cycle data, never. Geometry always wins, just a matter of what venue and where.
Ie…..gas shortage in 70’s, gas not available. today gas available but at what prices. Same with food. All caused by currency incompetence at 1600 penn ave. Send in a diplomacy book, stick his damn nose in it.
The Cat, the LION
June 17th, 2007 at 12:11 pmInductive ~ Dedutive LOGIC
Petraeus might as well be Tony Snow or Scott McLellan. I don’t think Petraeus has an ounce of independence or integrity. He’ll keep sending US troops into the meatgrinder until Chimpy or Dicky or Rover say so.
Amazing that the largest and best equipped military in the world is still unable to conquer two 5th rate military insurgencies.
Talk about incompetent.
The US would have lost the Revolutionary War if Bush were in charge. He would have been telling everyone that Valley Forge was a great success and would never change his tactics.
-GSD
June 17th, 2007 at 12:20 pmreid was looking for pace to say the war was lost so reid could get political cover and grow a spine.
June 17th, 2007 at 12:27 pmThis outrageous policy by rovian neocons is predictable and expected. They will go to their political grave using every crooked and deceptive tactic they can concieve. Apology??? Absolutely not! At the absolute worst, Snowjob should be apologizing to the American public for all the lies he has fronted for this corrupt administration.
June 17th, 2007 at 12:29 pmIMO the neocons asking for an apology is a laugh, and I’m glad that Reid feels the same. Lying bullys need to be brought to their knees, and that should be our policy. Sadly the DLC apeasers often don’t feel the same and it makes the Democratic party look wimpy.
Bush’s new Idea: March in Iraq with bright red coats on, playing drums. They’re just supposed to respect us, especially during tea time.
June 17th, 2007 at 12:30 pmYou know our dying republic is well on the road to facism when a US Senator cannot critisize a military officer.
June 17th, 2007 at 12:32 pmReminder
Send the trolls back to the troll locker room at the West Hollywood Gym for men!
Don’t Read A Trolls Post
Don’t Respond To A Trolls Post
IGNORE THE TROLLS – Debate good, Trolls bad
When you respond, trolls hyjack the thread
June 17th, 2007 at 12:36 pmGive ‘em Hell Harry
June 17th, 2007 at 12:43 pmgoogle up “NPD while in Leadership ” role………………these democrats have their work cut out for them. NPD is very hard to deal with when someone is sitting in a leader role. Yikes, mama.
BUSH NEEDS to be held to “accountability”!! (emphasis added)
Check him at blah………..now.
the Cat, the LION
June 17th, 2007 at 12:45 pmInductive ~ Deductive LOGIC
Reid has NOTHING to apologize for. Since when do we have to apologize for speaking the truth?!?
Oh, how I fantasize about seeing Tony Snow on the side of a road somewhere holding a sign that says “Will lie for $$”
His next lines will be:
The more they kill themselves over there, the less work we have to do (to hijack their oil, of course).
The blood running through the streets of Bagdad has a cleansing agent which, in effect due to the limited sewage available, is god’s way to help keep it clean for our soldiers.
God help me for saying this but cancer is too good for this guy. May you rot in the hell you are building you piece of $hit.
June 17th, 2007 at 12:49 pmIn Bush World, speaking the truth calls for an apology, and bold-face lies are followed by deafening applause.
June 17th, 2007 at 12:53 pmTONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: In a time of war, for a leader of a party that says it supports the military, it seems outrageous to be issuing slanders toward the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and also the man who is responsible for the bulk of military operations in Iraq.
Outrageous is to kill civilians (whats the difference with Al-Qaeda, anyway), to invade a country based on illegal and inexistent reasons.
June 17th, 2007 at 12:59 pmBenedict Arnold was an American General.
June 17th, 2007 at 1:05 pmThe only thing dorkier (New word like it) than someone telling someone else they have to apologize (Sort of like grade school recess) is someone else telling them that they shouldn’t tell someone they have to apologize for something they aren’t sorry for.
Our politics are so messed up that strongly worded letters and apologies are means for policy
June 17th, 2007 at 1:13 pmGod help me for saying this but cancer is too good for this guy. May you rot in the hell you are building you piece of $hit.
Comment by MsJoanne — June 17, 2007 @ 12:49 pm
Wow not even advocating the death penalty to some people, but the Slow painful death penalty.
June 17th, 2007 at 1:17 pmi just want to thank senator biden for saying this…
of course leader reid should not apologize for being truthful…
more, please, MORE! …
June 17th, 2007 at 1:55 pm…
Screw Tony McSnowjob, the White House spokesliar…he is full of shit and nothing he says has any importance to reality.
June 17th, 2007 at 2:11 pm#7 Comment by ForTruth — June 17, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
Bush’s new Idea: March in Iraq with bright red coats on, playing drums. They’re just supposed to respect us, especially during tea time.
Quote Snow:
Tony Snow called Reid’s remarks “outrageous†and stated, “I certainly hope he does apologize.â€
Which one of the above is the more ridiculous?
June 17th, 2007 at 2:19 pm“You are either with US or against US”
Hell yeah!
June 17th, 2007 at 2:32 pmIf Peter Pace is not “incompetent†then why did Bush fire him? Pace said himself that he’s not afraid of a Senate Confirmation Hearing. My bet is that Pace is more upset with Bush over what he DID than with Reid for what he SAID. If McCain & Snow think so highly of Pace, then they should get with their leader and quit wasting their time smearing Reid. Their way of thinking has become corrupted and idiotic.
June 17th, 2007 at 2:47 pmSenator Reid should not apologize but should clarify his remarks by stating clearly that the general’s incompetence is only but a dim reflection of the CinC’s stupidity, incompetence, high crimes and misdemeanours.
June 17th, 2007 at 3:05 pmHe shouldn’t apologize. He should just shut his mouth and stand by his President.
June 17th, 2007 at 3:16 pmSenator Reid has nothing to apologize for and he doesn’t need to clarify his words. It is Tony Snow that owes the American people an apology for continuing to spread lies and for continuing to protect our traitorous president. It’s boy Bush and deadeye Dick Cheney that need to apologize to all the families whose family members returned in coffins draped with flags and to the all the Americans and the rest of the world for starting an illegal war based upon lies… a war whose sole purpose is to further line their pockets with more money.
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Guess that means boy Bush won’t be spending time with Jesus when his days on earth are over.
June 17th, 2007 at 5:02 pmHe shouldn’t apologize. He should just shut his mouth and stand by his President.
NO Good American should stand by such a LIAR and WAR CRIMINAL as MURDERER Bush the TRAITOR coxucker PUNK.
Bush, being a WAR CRIMINAL and an AWOL COWARD militarily,
deserves NO LOYALTY from REAL Americans who know Bush has
WIPED HIS AZZ with the US Constitution.
June 17th, 2007 at 5:04 pmMr Bush et al…
Harsh words… and true words spoken from the heart.
June 17th, 2007 at 5:08 pmWow.. Democrats… Spine… nice combination!
June 17th, 2007 at 5:54 pmGive em hell, Harry and don’t think a blasted thing about it! They deserve more than anything you can dish out, that’s clear. As for McInsane, I think he’d better shut his twisted trap already. He looks like a buffoon and there’s no doubt that his melanoma means that he probably won’t be around in 4 years.
June 17th, 2007 at 6:01 pmOne would have to wonder why doctors don’t give McCain even 4 years and yet he is parading around AS THOUGH he has the time to be president – what’s up with that? Another typical Republican charade, I guess…..lie through your teeth and hope that no one is onto you??
June 17th, 2007 at 6:02 pmsnow is a DISCRACE and pathetic, smug, ass. his gig way old (the american public is so stupid, I can say the sky is pink and they will belive me… at least our base…). he is an enemy of democracy and the constituion.
have that on your tomb stone, buster.
Mccain? no fool like an old fool. sad pathetic hack.
June 17th, 2007 at 7:20 pmI just looked at Reid’s biography and he has no military service. According to the libs, President Bush has no military service so is not fit to be CinC. I am wondering why Reid thinks he is qualfied to make any comments about our military personnel. This is purely a political statement and is a despicable thing to do while our troops are under fire. I don’t know how we are ever going to know about anything about military options in the future if the libs win the next election. I don’t see any military service on Hillarys or Obama’s resume. I guess that will be fair game for the opposition party since the libs are using it now.
June 17th, 2007 at 7:43 pmHas the Bush Crime Family apologized to the American people and the world for all their lies in the past six years? What have they been right about? These worthless thugs have lied and been wrong at every turn in the road. Pace is a toadie of the crime family, pure and simple.
June 17th, 2007 at 8:36 pm32. Comment by BAN — June 17, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
A cursory review of the prominent republican warmongers on this link below indicates that we are in a war we shouldn’t be in according to your logic. Get a life asswipe or better yet, go enlist.
http://www.awolbush.com/whoserved.html
June 17th, 2007 at 8:41 pmAh the serpent Biden hissing
June 17th, 2007 at 9:08 pmI don’t see any military service on Hillarys or Obama’s resume. I guess that will be fair game for the opposition party since the libs are using it now.
Comment by BAN
Obviously you’re too stupid to remember you Republicans started this little game with Bill Clinton. Attacking him for not fighting in Viet Nam. Of course you hypocrites forgot all about that when you were rooting for AWOL Bush.
Libs are just playing by the Republican’s play book. Live with it.
June 17th, 2007 at 9:12 pmAh the serpent Biden hissing
Comment by Flaco
And the poodle Flaco whimpering.
June 17th, 2007 at 9:13 pmRepublican Party and their 28% base = crooks, liars and cowards.
Nuff said.
June 17th, 2007 at 9:17 pmAnd the poodle Flaco whimpering.
Comment by shane
He likes it. :)
June 17th, 2007 at 9:18 pmI just looked at Reid’s biography and he has no military service. According to the libs, President Bush has no military service so is not fit to be CinC.
No, he is unfit because he WAS an AWOL deserter and NOW he is a LIAR and MURDEROUS WAR CRIMINAL and a TRAITOR coxucker PUNK.
And TRAITOR Cheney has NO MILITARY SERVICE either, so should HE have any say over the DEATHS of our military??
And Murtha has 37 YEARS of military service, yet YOU Nazis call HIM “unqualified”.
June 17th, 2007 at 9:35 pmFunny, but SAD, from people like YOU who support TRAITORS like Bush and Cheney…
He shouldn’t apologize. He should just shut his mouth and stand by his President.
Comment by MAF54 — June 17, 2007 @ 3:16 pm
Maybe you should just shut your mouth, but you can’t because you have Bush’s dick in it.
June 17th, 2007 at 10:12 pmHe shouldn’t apologize. He should just shut his mouth and stand by his President. Comment by MAF54 — June 17, 2007 @ 3:16 pm
Just like YOU and the rest of the NEOCONS did when Clinton was President?
Just like YOU and the rest of the NEOCONS will do when a Democrat is in the WHITE HOUSE SOON?
BAHAHAHHAA, hypocritical little idi*T!!!
June 18th, 2007 at 12:57 amNow We are talking about the same Joe Biden that called the Troops that he professes to support worse than Nazis are we not ? I thought so .
June 18th, 2007 at 2:27 amMr. Bush Goes To Hell you should not use words like Traitor unless you know how to define said word , it does nothing to enforce your arguement . Here Let me help you , me being a nice Troll .
In law, treason is the crime of disloyalty to one’s nation. A person who betrays the nation of their citizenship and/or reneges on an oath of loyalty and in some way willfully cooperates with an enemy, is considered to be a traitor. Oran’s Dictionary of the Law (1983) defines treason as: “…[a]…citizen’s actions to help a foreign government overthrow, make war against, or seriously injure the [parent nation].” In many nations, it is also often considered treason to attempt or conspire to overthrow the government, even if no foreign country is aided or involved by such an endeavour.
It Sounds to me like he is talking about you guys : P
June 18th, 2007 at 2:39 amHarry Reid, Joe Biden, Hillary Cunton! The whole lot of left wing liberal scum bags will do nothing different than W has and most of you spineless dweebs continue to be fooled into believing they have a clue!
Biden stated today that because he has had 34 years of experience he is more qualified to lead this country that Hillary is? HAAA!!!! At the very least at least Hillary Cunton has a bigger set of balls than the entire left wing pus-nuts have combined. Reid is a spineless weasel not deserving of licking the dirt off any military commanders boots and Biden, Biden can du ma nhieu cause he’s nothing more than a shill wannabe and they all despise the fact that W is the leader of the free world. LOL! Chew on that FACT you left wing a$$wipes! America is strong today but if you numb-nuts want to see the life as we know it become even more intolerable than keep believing that a liberal hack has the gnads to be an actual leader of this great country!
June 18th, 2007 at 2:49 amhas anyone contributed to Gravel08.us tpday in anyway shape or form
if you have then good. if you havnt then WHY THE HELL NOT!?
June 18th, 2007 at 3:05 amIn many nations, it is also often considered treason to attempt or conspire to overthrow the government, even if no foreign country is aided or involved by such an endeavour.
It Sounds to me like he is talking about you guys : P
Comment by Harry Truman —
You’ve got it all wrong, Brain-dead Harry. Why, me and my neoCON buddies, helped by my Daddy’s pals, conspired to have tens of thousands of Black folks with no criminal record scrubbed off voter registration rolls as “felons” in Florida both in 2000 and 2004, to not allow people in minority areas in Ohio to register to vote because of some arcane rule created by my admirer then-Ohio Secretary of State K. Blackwell about paper weight, then not put enough voting booths in miniroty areas in Ohio so that there were lines 12 or more hours long, while voting booths in GOP-leaning suburbs were sitting empty. We did a lot to conspire to take over this country to screw anyone who isn’t a millionaire. Please learn history a bit better, Harry, or Rove will cut your troll honorarium.
June 18th, 2007 at 9:53 amBiden is right…Reid should not apologize.
June 18th, 2007 at 11:11 amRE THE MAFIA ADMINISTRATION 6/18/07
I yield to no one in my concern about human rights. And I oppose indiscriminate torture. But if you disagree, I recommend that you Google “Execution video” and watch a few beheadings.
June 18th, 2007 at 12:26 pmWay to go Senator Biden many veterans are supporting you in Texas give them hell…..BIDEN for Pres
July 9th, 2007 at 2:57 am